Anomaly
by eyes of sky
Summary: There is an anomaly in the code. A 15 year old girl, seemingly average, but with an unexpected gift. What is it, and how can she help in the search for the One? What is her connection to Trinity? Will Morpheus unplug her, whatever the cost?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _If you recognise anything, I don't own it. Unfortunately._

A/N: _This story is set before 'The Matrix'. Also, I am probably not going to be accurate all the time, as I am only going by what I remember and what I find important. If you think that I've made errors, please feel free to tell me. I won't be sticking to all parts of the story, as obviously this is FAN Fiction and writers are free to take some liberties. But if you tell me what you think, I will try to explain why I've done something, or alter it for the better. Either way, I hope you will help me, as this is my first try at a Matrix fanfic._

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Chapter 1 - Anomaly 

Now, finally, the _Nebuchanezzar_ was silent. The cold metal deck was empty, apart from a lithe figure poised on the swivelling chair in the Core; sharply boned face lit up faintly by the green glow of the monitors. The only movement was the flick of her eyes across the computer screens, and the cascading streams of indecipherable symbols and numbers that filled the monitors.

The woman was still, but it was clear to see that she was constantly prepared for action. Her eyes were alert and intent, and her jet-black hair ended sharply at her chin. Although she was wearing several thin layers of grey clothing, that fitted shapelessly and was patchworked by holes and repairs, there was no mistaking her natural grace.

Trinity was watching the night shift, while the rest of the crew slept. With a lack of immediate threats, and no sign of Sentinels, she was scanning through the potentials, those from the Matrix who could be ready to be unplugged. The code was not indecipherable after all. By now, she didn't see the numbers any more. Instead she could see a man working at a computer, a woman walking down the street, a child sleeping.

She scanned through their basic profiles, containing their full names, hacker names, some basic information and an RSI compiled from their codes. They were mostly hackers, with a few 'randoms' thrown in – usually philosophy students. Carefully reading through the first profile, she committed the information to memory. It was a male computer hacker, James Webster in the daytime, 'Slider' at night. Running a search through the code, she found him at the computer, hacking into a government database. Pausing to watch for a while, she made some brief notes to add to his profile and moved on. With his abilities, he would be a useful addition to any crew, but would he be able to handle the truth? They would probably have to wait a little longer to see.

For the next 50 minutes, Trinity worked through the rest of the Prospects, finding them in the code, then adding notes to their profiles. It was all pretty routine, and she could see that some of the more inquisitive ones would benefit from a little _encouragement_ soon. She would talk to Morpheus about it in the morning; it wasn't urgent.

Finally, she was down to the last profile. She glanced at the large, square numbers above the screen. 10 minutes left to run this final search, then her shift was up, and it was Tank's turn. As she quickly scanned through the profile, fingers poised to fly over the black keyboards, Trinity suddenly paused. Her piercing eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. It must be a mistake.

The girl was 15. There was nothing unusual about that. Young minds were more adaptable, found it easier to comprehend. That was why no one over 30 had ever been unplugged, or ever would be. The mind found it too hard to let go, after so long. Trinity herself had been unplugged at a similar age. No, there was nothing remarkable about this girl. That was the problem.

She was not a hacker, she was not a psychology student, a philosophy student – none of the usual. She was clever, yes, topped the class in every subject, and a few more. She played music, sports, and read avidly. Other than that, nothing. She seemed unwilling to break or even bend rules, the first requirement for escaping the Matrix. She was reasonable, OK, average with computers, like every single teenager in the Matrix. She had never even considered hacking in her life, and didn't even have an alias to go by. As Trinity watched her in the code, she became more and more puzzled. There had to be a mistake. This girl was _completely_ unsuitable. Trinity shook her head slightly, causing her hair to flare out slightly, as if clearing her head of thoughts. She would talk to Morpheus in the morning; they could just delete this girl from the system.

It was time. Her shift was ended; she should go down now, get Tank up and return to her room. Then she should go to sleep and forget about this. She was tired now; she'd been training all day, spurred on by the last time she entered the Matrix. She would not come that close to failure again. She should get up… But something made her stay in the chair. It was probably her 'goddamn stubbornness', as Morpheus always called it, with a faint smile. There wasn't a problem that she didn't solve, _logically_. And as First Officer since Niobe had left for the _Logos,_ she came across her fair share. But as long as she stuck with it, thought it out logically, it was easy as… hacking an IRS d-base, she thought with a wry smile. But this, it just did not make sense. The search program was a computer program. They didn't _make_ mistakes. But this girl had none of the qualities they wanted. As far as Trinity could see, she had never even come across the words 'The Matrix'.

Minutes passed, or it could have been hours. Trinity watched the electric green wash down the screens, some symbols lighter, some darker, some streams stopping halfway down, or disappearing altogether. And in her mind, thoughts were racing just as fast, along with one that wouldn't go away. _Why does this matter?_

* * *

A hand resting on her shoulder jerked her from her reverie, and automatically she flew from the chair, twisting round, ready to flip her attacker over. It was Tank, looking alarmed.

"Shit, Trinity. That's only the second time I've crept up on you"

Trinity gave an almost feline grin. "But this time you didn't end up on your ass."

Tank grimaced at the memory. "Why didn't you call me? Your shift was up 30 minutes ago." Now released by Trinity, he swung into the chair with easy grace, looking intently at the screen. "What had you so interested? It's just a girl sleeping."

"It's…nothing", she replied quickly, unsure herself of why she was being so secretive. "It's just a girl", she said, unconsciously echoing his words.

Tank quirked an eyebrow and slipped on the headset hanging above him.

"You should get some rest", he said over his shoulder, his fingers already creating a rapid rhythm across the keys.

Trinity turned, not seeing the worried look he flashed over his shoulder. When she had first been unplugged, he had thought her cold and distant. She could still be like that with strangers. Now, she felt almost like a little sister to him, although he would never say that to her. She could kick his ass in 5 seconds flat, and every time he saw her in the Matrix, she was that much faster, that much stronger. But now, on board the _Nebuchanezzar_, she had gradually become close to all of the crew, especially Morpheus. It was obvious he was like a father to her. Turning back to the screens, Tank began to type again.

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_A/N: If you get down here, thanks for reading! Please tell me if you think I should continue. Tell me what you liked, or what you didn't like. It's the only way I can improve._


	2. Chapter 2 Discovery

A/N: _Thank you to my reviewers! Glad you appreciated it :) I've tried to put some more spaces in this chapter, last one looked a bit squashed up. Tell me what you think._

Disclaimer: _The Matrix is not mine. It belongs to the Wachowski Brothers and no infringement of copyright is intended._

Chapter 2 – Discovery 

Trinity awoke to the sound of footsteps, passing her door with a faint metallic clang. A man. Dozer. No one else on the ship walked so heavily. Apoc was quieter, and Mouse never walked anywhere, he always ran, true to his name.

Slowly returning to consciousness, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her.

512 rivets. She had forgotten that. Now she remembered the first nights she had been here, too confused to sleep, too numb to understand what was happening. She went through each day mechanically, doing what was expected of her, not feeling anything but numbness inside. But gradually, she had come to understand what was happening, and to realise why she was here. _Why was she thinking like this?_

Fluidly twisting from beneath the thin covers, she sat on the edge of the bed, simultaneously lacing her thick boots while looking around the room. Every now and then she really wished for a comfortable bed, like she used to have in the Matrix. But then again, "_technically she had never slept in a comfortable bed"_, as Switch would say. All that was in her cold metal room was a low bed with thin and patched sheets, a chair with splayed metal legs and a few clothes folded neatly in the corner. Trinity smiled, lending an unexpected light to her pale face. It may not have been the Ritz, but it was home.

Most of the crew was already awake, and sitting at the grey metal table in the centre of the room. As she entered the room, some looked up and murmured greetings or smiled, but most were intent on their food. Or rather, trying to pretend the off-white substance in their bowls _was_ food. Suppressing a smile at the look on Mouse's face (faint disgust mixed with incredulity), she grabbed a bowl, filled it up and swung onto the low bench. Placing the metal bowl onto the uneven surface she began to eat with rapid movements. The woman with chalky blonde hair sitting opposite was Switch, ice blue eyes bent in concentration on her bowl. Apoc, the bulky man sitting to her left, was murmuring something in a low tone, and every now and then she would give a short nod. Looking up, she met Trinity's gaze and smiled.

"Trinity. So glad you decided to join us". She tilted her head to the side and arched an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you be on duty, _crew member_?"

"Not for approximately, " Switch pulled a thoughtful expression, "02 minutes, _Officer._ It's lucky that _some_ of us don't take 10 minutes to eat a meal in the morning."

"Nice to see you too, Switch", Trinity said with a grin as she returned to her food.

At the foot of the table, Dozer shook his head with a smile. Switch and Trinity, the two opposites, black and white. Their over-breakfast bickering had become a tradition on the ship, since their first meeting. Began with a blazing argument, ended with firm friends. The other crew members still hadn't quite worked it out.

Finishing her meal hurriedly, Trinity pushed back her chair with a metallic scrape. She had to find Morpheus and tell him about the mistake. It was pointless to waste any more time on a girl who meant nothing. And efficiency was something that Trinity prized very highly.

Morpheus was sitting in operator's chair, facing away from the door, hands steepled. As she raised her hand to knock on the open door, he turned around to face her.

"Trinity". His expression seemed to give away nothing, but from long observation, she could tell he was both interested and amused. He knew exactly what she was going to say, so she plunged right in.

"Morpheus, I've found a…mistake in the system. A 15- year old girl's come up as a Potential but she's got nothing we want. Need" she corrected herself.

Morpheus was watching her intently. _What did he want from her? What was he expecting to see?_

Seeing he was not going to say anything more, Trinity continued, hands joined behind her back. "The girl is not aware at all of the Matrix. I believe she has no rejection of the system. I suggest that she be deleted from the system. Sir", she added as an afterthought. Morpheus was silent for a moment, then shook his head slowly, spreading his hands.

"No, I see no mistake. Only providence."

"Morpheus…" she cut in, but he continued, rising from the chair to pace around the room.

"There is something about her, is there not? You have seen it. There is an…" He paused, as if searching for a word.

"…Anomaly. Perhaps she does not yet become curious about the Matrix. But she feels trapped, she does not know yet what by. But it is building inside of her. Building into something."

"What?", Trinity spoke bluntly. They had known each other too long to mince words.

"I do not yet know, but the Oracle told me…She told me that I would find the One - "

Trinity cut in again, growing impatient. "So you think she's the One?"

"No. She told me that I would find the One, but first another would be found, and not by me. By you, Trinity."

Trinity raised an eyebrow. "Morpheus, you of all people know that I don't believe in this 'fate' crap".

She didn't like the feeling that she didn't control her own life. _Especially in matters of the heart, _she thought to herself.

"You may not believe it now, but I know you have felt it. She has the power to help us, Trinity, whether she knows it or not."

Later that day, sitting in her room alone, Trinity felt her thoughts whirling around her head. What Morpheus had said didn't make sense. _Shouldn't_ make sense. It had to be a mistake. All of this fortune-telling was just the ramblings of an old woman who had nothing better to do. _Yes_, she assured herself as she lay flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. _It's just a mistake. _

But then sometimes, it was comforting. You did what you did, and it couldn't have happened any other way. Rolling onto her side, her last conscious thought was that next shift, she would find that girl and prove Morpheus wrong.


	3. Chapter 3 Curiosity

Disclaimer: _The Matrix belongs to the Wachowski brothers. No profit is made and no infringement of copyright is intended._

A/N: _Thank you to my reviewers, you keep me going! However, after this chapter I am going to be away for most of the summer. I will try to get a chapter up some time but I can't promise anything! _

Chapter 3 – Curiosity 

Trinity had been sitting tensely on the edge of her bed for the past 20 minutes, fists clenched, eyes staring straight forwards. But she did not see the wall straight in front of her. Instead she was concentrating hard, willing the minutes to pass faster. _Hurry, dammit._ All those times when she had wished for more time, an extra second to mean the difference between life and death. And now it couldn't go fast enough. _Life is strange_, she reflected. _Sometimes you're so sure you know what you're doing, others you're just running through the dark, hoping to hell someone else knows._

It was time. Trinity shot up from her bed, then stopped, resting her hand on the door. She mustn't appear hurried, must keep up her ice-cool demeanour. To everyone else, this was just a routine shift. Hell, it _was_ a routine shift. But to her it somehow seemed vitally important. Taking deep breaths to slow her rocketing pulse, she waited. Then she opened the door; to reveal Apoc standing outside with his hand raised to knock. Giving him a serene smile, she glided past him into the corridor. She didn't look back, so she didn't see the curious look he directed at her retreating figure.

Reaching the Core, Trinity swung herself into the operator's chair with a movement honed from long years of practice. Her long fingers hovered over the keys. This was it. Time to solve this little 'mystery' once and for all. If there was an anomaly, she would find it. She was by far the best hacker on this ship, and one of the best in the fleet, and she knew it without boasting. She had 2 hours until Tank's shift. It was enough. With a deep breath, she began to type; fingers flying so fast they were barely visible.

Green code, scrolling lines of endless numbers raced down the screens, narrowing into a single row…

"Gotcha".

Ana Gardner, 15 years old.

Date of birth, 4th December.

Star sign, Sagittarius.

Height, 5"9'.

Date: 1st December

Address: 44, Sycamore Avenue, upstairs.

The girl lay on her bed, flat on her back with her arms flung carelessly to the sides. The sky outside was just beginning to show the pale rays of dawn, and it would have almost seemed as though she was asleep, if her eyes had not been open. They were emerald green, flecked with yellow, and held a look of intense concentration as she stared at the ceiling above. She lay completely still, and the only movement in the room was the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out. As the day approached, rays of sunshine illuminated the room, revealing hazy details that gradually became clearer and clearer.

The room was fairly large, and contained a chest of drawers, a dressing table and two wardrobes in a rich brown wood. The walls were white, with a deep green border, which matched the girl's eyes, and the bedspread she was lying on. A green and silver wind chime hung from the ceiling, and slowly a breeze began to ruffle the curtains and create gentle chiming noises. But still the girl did not move, or look around.

Back in the Nebuchanezzer, Trinity stared at the screen with narrowed eyes. _What was she doing?_ The girl had not moved for a full 6 hours, yet Trinity could see from her code that her brain was working fast. Very fast. Her neural patterns were faster than any Prospect Trinity had ever seen, and she had seen a lot in her time. But that still didn't account for something different in her code. There was something there, almost imperceptible. With a small sigh, Trinity decided that the girl was not going to move any time soon. After a short pause, in which her eyes gained a far-away look, she began to type again. She wanted to find out as much as possible about this girl.

It was 7:15, Matrix time. Finally, Ana rolled over and out of the bed with a fluid movement. Running her hands through her long brown hair with a distracted motion, she began to dress in a pleated black skirt, white shirt and green tie. When she had finished she twisted her hair into a bun, and sat down in front of the dressing table. All of this was done in complete silence. She stared into the mirror. From outside, she looked perfectly calm and collected. Inside, it was a completely different story. Her thoughts were spinning so fast she felt dizzy.

It had begun about 2 weeks ago. If someone had asked her, she could not have explained what it was. It was a feeling deep inside, of something. Something wrong, or different. It would last for a few hours, then go away. But then the next time it would be stronger. It was building up, every time. Recently, she had felt like she was almost on the brink of discovering something wonderful, when suddenly it would disappear again and she was left feeling unexplainably empty.

She had told no one. They would have thought she was crazy, or told her to see a doctor.

"But it's not _like_ that," she said aloud. "This is different".

She shook her head suddenly, as if mentally berating herself. This was stupid. She had to be going crazy. What she was thinking wasn't logical, it didn't make sense. But somehow everything seemed clearer when she had 'the feeling'. Like she had been looking at the world through frosted glass, and now it had been taken away and she was seeing it for real, for the first time.

Every night she came home from school, did her homework, helped cook the dinner, took the dog for a walk, went for a run. Lately she had been running until late, anything to make her tired enough to sleep. But every night she lay awake, mind turning incessantly, trying to make sense of it all, reaching for some conclusion.

Gradually the rest of the family awoke, and the house filled with movement. Her mother's voice came floating up the stairs, calling her to come down for breakfast. With a deep breath, Ana stood up, swinging her bag onto her shoulder. Time to face the world for another day.

A/N: _I know this chapter is a little bit slow, but I felt the need to do some explaining. There will be a lot more happening in the next one, I promise!_


	4. Chapter 4 Perception

Chapter 4 – Perception

Disclaimer: _See Chapter 3_

A/n: _What can I say? Simply: Sorry for the very very long wait but I was only at home for long enough to get my GCSE results before I was away again! And only now have I finally had time to write. : (_

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Ana Gardner sat, attentive, at the back of the Physics classroom. Well, at least she _looked_ attentive. Inside her head, her thoughts were still a hurricane. In front of her, she could see the backs of the other pupils' heads. Blonde, brunette, redhead. Curly, wavy, straight.

Some were slumped over their desks, doodling on their exercise books or the pale wood of the desks. Others were writing away furiously as the teacher at the front indicated diagrams on the board with a long wooden ruler. Unusually for Ana, she was not doing this. She was sitting perfectly still. The walls around her were plastered with brightly coloured posters all explaining different equations and diagrams. A couple of plastic structures lay on the side tables, from an earlier lesson, demonstrating the structure of the atom. At the front of the class, the teacher's desk was heaving with piles of books, some with pages coming loose. Ana saw nothing of this. She was thinking, that when she had one of her 'episodes', it didn't feel like falling asleep, it felt like waking up. But that was back-to-front, wasn't it?

"Miss Gardner, what is Newton's Second Law?"

The teacher's sharp voice brought her out of her thoughts with a small but guilty jump. Fortunately, she knew this so well; she could have recited it backwards.

"An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."

"Very good, Miss Gardner. Now, Mr Brown…"

The teacher's attention shifted onto another pupil, and Ana felt a hot rush of guilt and shame. She should be concentrating on her work, not some stupid idea about sleeping. She had her GCSE exams in 3 weeks, and it was important to concentrate. Bending over her book, she began to write.

* * *

Trinity pushed the operator's chair back, blinking rapidly to clear her eyes. Her joints were stiff and aching from sitting still for such a long time. She was out of shape, when she had solved this little mystery she would get back into the Construct and focus on the things that really mattered. That extra ounce of strength could be all it took between life and death. Agents didn't take any prisoners.

This was her third day of watching the girl, and yet she still didn't understand. Every time Trinity was just about to convince herself the girl was normal and go and prove Morpheus wrong, it would happen again. The slightest thing. Almost like a glitch in the Matrix around this girl. _No, _thought Trinity to herself. _More like a shift. Like water parting to fold around a diver, to quickly settle with no trace of a disturbance._

But the ripples were getting bigger. Every time it happened, it was clearer to Trinity. And despite herself, she was worried. Whatever this meant for the girl, it was inevitable that someone else would notice it before long. The Architect had no time for imperfections.

But she could do no more. She had found out everything possible about Ana, from her favourite flavour of ice cream to the shoes she wore last Christmas. _Everything._ She had even scanned the histories of all her relatives, going back as far as 1800, Matrix time. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing to set her apart from the billions of other people living their 'lives' in the Matrix. Being clever was not enough. Hell, she herself was clever, but she had more than that. She had a hunger for the truth.

All she could do now was report to Morpheus on what she knew, and then wait to see what happened.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Trinity glanced one last time over the mass of computer screens. Swinging the chair around, she turned to face Switch and rose slowly but gracefully from the chair. Trinity raised a dark eyebrow and tipped her head to the side, highlighting her angular jaw in the low light.

"It's all yours".

Switch gave Trinity a penetrating stare, her icy blue eyes flickering with a hint of worry, but said nothing. Trinity gave a quick, non-committal smile before moving away with the loping, easy stride of a natural athlete. Switch watched her go. She sank into the seat, frozen in thought for a few moments, before turning to the screens and beginning to type.

Trinity halted outside a smooth iron door and knocked. Morpheus spoke from

within.

"Come in, Trinity".

His voice was deep and rich. For some reason, it always reminded Trinity of autumn. It seemed to encapsulate all the different shades of brown, red, yellow and orange that could be found. To her, it represented a great power and strength, mixed with temperance and wisdom. Feeling distinctly calmer, she opened the door.

"… and her mother is Irish, from the County of Sligo. Her maiden name was Niamh Kelly. Kelly is taken from ó Ceallaigh, which means 'bright-headed'. Her father is Gwyn Gardner. Gwyn means 'white, fair or blessed'. His family were originally English, but moved to Wales 10 years before he was born."

Trinity finally completed her report to Morpheus. She stood completely still, taking deep breaths, but her eyes never left his face. Morpheus was also still. Just when Trinity almost believed he was not going to move, his lips curved up into a knowing smile.

"Excellent. Your memory, talent and perception are as strong as ever."

"But?"

"But… unfortunately, none of this matters. It does not matter where she was born, or what she has done. It does not matter _what_ she is. It is _who_ she is that will be important."

Trinity knew Morpheus well enough to understand that he was not insulting her, he was merely trying to explain what he believed. But still she was confused.

"I know, you said that before, but I still don't understand."

Morpheus took in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, his eyes holding hers. "This is something that cannot be explained. I will show you."

Standing, he gestured with one hand for her to follow, and swept out and down the hallway.

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_Thank you to all of you who reviewed, and to those of you who read but didn't review (I can see you in my stats!), thank you for reading anyway. But please consider reviewing, it is the best method of improvement for the author, and the reader. _


	5. Chapter 5 Revelation

Chapter 5 – Revelation

Disclaimer: _see Chapter 2_

A/n: _From now on, I am going to do reviewer responses. I've decided it's only fair. So although there is only 1 this time, they will be at the bottom in future…_

* * *

Slamming the front door hastily behind her, Ana entered her house after a long and tiring day at school. Coming out of the kitchen, all her mother Niamh saw was a flash of brown hair as her daughter swiftly disappeared up the stairs, calling "Hi, Mum". Niamh sighed. Ana was becoming more and more reclusive lately, staying in her room most of the time, only coming out for school, meals, or long walks that lasted late into the evening. Dearly hoping it was just a phase, she swung the kitchen door back open and returned to the cloud of steam above the stove. 

Up in her room, Ana swiftly shed her bag, shoes and tie, and swung into the black revolving chair in front of her computer. There was only one way to relieve this pressure. She only hoped it would work, as it had before in times of stress and uncertainty. Flexing her long fingers, she began to type, the melody filling her head as the words poured out.

_See the world in black and white,_

_Sweep the colours from your eyes,_

_The choice is yours to decide,_

_See it._

_Taste the colour of the sky,_

_Drink the nectar from a sigh,_

_Can you trust the truth to lie?_

_Taste it._

_Feel the flicker of an eye,_

_Touch a strobing beam of light,_

_Will you follow, will you fight?_

_Feel it._

_Smell the sadness of a life,_

_Aromas sweet before you find,_

_The air is still, inside your mind,_

_Smell it._

_Hear the truth inside a lie,_

_Find a light before it dies,_

_Speak from what you know inside,_

_Hear it._

_Why do dre__ams cross over time?_

_Are my senses truth or lie?_

_Is this new sense truly mine?_

_Is it?_

Brushing back her hair from her eyes, Ana clicked '_Print'_ and sat back, blinking at what she had written. The steady chug of the printer soothed her as the lines slowly emerged, like muddy footprints in the snow. With a long squeal, the page slid out. For a long moment, she stared at it, lying there so innocently, a white rectangle of clarity. Suddenly, she snatched it up and tore it in half, then again, and again, and again, until all that were left were small, drifting flakes. Scooping the pile into the bin, she jabbed at the power button and retreated to her bed as the screen went black.

* * *

In the Core, Trinity glared at Morpheus, irritation boiling inside her. 

"Morpheus", she forced from between clenched teeth. "I've already _seen _all this. She's a borderline nutcase as far as I'm concerned."

Morpheus gave a deep sigh, and looked Trinity over, as if sizing her up.

"The facts of the matter are, Ana Gardner is coming of age. They may not observe the traditions in the Matrix world any more, but once a child becomes 16, a powerful change comes about. The child is no longer a child, they become an adult. That may not mean much to you, but it will mean a lot to Ana. For the first time, all of her abilities will converge on her at once. She will either be able to handle this, or she will not. She will either live…"

"…Or she will die", finished Trinity, a grim look on her face.

"That is, unless we unplug her first. However, because of her talents, there becomes a curious situation in which we must unplug her no more than an hour before this change, and no more than an hour after."

"What talents?", interrupted Trinity, cutting straight to the heart of the conversation.

Again Morpheus paused. His eyes fixed upon a distant point, past Trinity's head.

"Long ago, I was told a story. And the story was this. Deep in the heart of the mountains, and the Matrix, a pod-child would be born. And this child would be special. She would be the key to unlocking the unsolvable conundrum, which has riddled both the humans and the machines for years. But she would not know it. She would live in blissful ignorance of this until the time when she would come of age. And at this time, all of the moments she had felt in the womb, in the cradle, in the classroom, in the crowds, these moments would join together like the infinite pieces of a puzzle. These moments would join together into a picture of inconstant yet perfect clarity. She would be able to see the whole of the Matrix, as a beautiful and shifting thing. And Trinity, I believe we have found that one."

Trinity stood frozen, confused and stunned. For a rare moment, she was completely lost for words. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, registering the faint, wickedly amused gleam in Morpheus' eyes.

"So you think…you mean…"

She cleared her throat, and began again.

"So you think that this girl can actually _see_ the Matrix? How is that possible? It's just code. How can you just _see _code?"

Her dark eyebrows contracted into a frown, forming faint lines on her porcelain forehead.

Morpheus nodded, acknowledging that he himself had followed this same pattern of thought.

"It is my belief that she will not be able to _see_ the code as such, as you and I see this screen." He gestured at the computer screen in front of them. "Instead I believe that it will be more feeling than seeing, more of an instinctive knowledge and ability to sense the Matrix, and the subtle changes within it."

"So she's like… another Oracle or something?"

"No, they are not the same. The Oracle sees single choices of individual people, and what they will lead to. She sees the future, to put it crudely. This girl, or woman as she is to become, cannot see why the Matrix changes, but she can see how. She can discover some of what will happen from the signs within the Matrix, but only a general view. No, her real use to us is not to see the future; it is to see the present. I believe that, with her abilities, she can help to lead us to the One."

"But…" Trinity broke off abruptly.

"But what?", said Morpheus, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "But it can't be possible?"

"_But I don't believe all this fate and Oracle crap anyway. Do I?"_

Unable to bear the atmosphere in the room any longer, Trinity turned abruptly on her heel and almost ran from the room. Hurrying through the corridors without knowing where she was going, she found herself suddenly in front of her door. Slamming it behind her, she sank down onto her bed.

* * *

_Reviewer responses:_

LiMiYa: _Glad to know someone is reading. Thank you! _


	6. Chapter 6 Pursuit

Chapter 6 – Pursuit

Disclaimer: _see Chapter 2_

A/N: _Sorry I am so useless at posting chapters. My humble excuse is this, firstly I am busy but finally got round to writing this chapter. Then my dad's laptop went to Devon (if you're not British, you might not understand this – heaven). So I completely lost the whole chapter and had not written anything down. So here it is rewritten. May be better, may be worse. You'll never know._

ephona: _thanks. I myself am often guilty of being a silent reader! Hypocrite, hey? _

LiMiYa: _I find that Morpheus is the hardest yet also the easiest to portray, if that makes any sense at all. He is full of all this mystery, yet that in itself is a clear and easy personality trait to pick up on._

Unknown_: thank you. Hope you enjoy this one too, whoever you are._

Dynx: _Dudette! Wow, that is massive praise, seeing as there are so many talented authors out there (well, on here, whatever). I'm honoured! Your review really spurred me on._

22:00. _Click. _The green digits on the alarm clock flicked abruptly. Almost simultaneously, Ana's eyes flicked open, green orbs reflecting two pale crescents of moonlight. This time she had actually been asleep, but now she was wide awake, senses sharply tuned and heart pounding an insistent rhythm against her ribs. Pushing back the covers with one hand, she swung cautiously out of bed and stepped across to the window. Twitching aside the curtains, she saw a strange and alien landscape. For a moment she was confused and disorientated, then she blinked sharply and everything shifted into focus. The harsh light from the curved orb of the moon highlighted unfamiliar contours, shifting her perception of the landscape. The silvery leaves of the nearby tree did not flutter, and the trunk seemed as though it was carved in stone. Everything was completely still, as though the world was holding its breath. But what was the plunge it was preparing for?

Backing away from the window, Ana was suddenly filled with the uncontrollable desire to be outside, to feel the cool moonlight on her skin, to run. She gathered her hair into a tight bun as she darted around the shadowed room, passing in and out of the bright shaft of moonlight. She was swiftly dressed in black combat trousers, green T-shirt and a black military-style jacket. Pausing only to grab her phone from the table and slip it into her pocket, a reflex action, she slipped through the door, leaving the room empty.

_Click. _22:03.

Trinity woke suddenly to an impatient knocking on her door. Pushing the covers back, she moved fluidly up and to the door, jerking it back irritably. She had actually been asleep, and she would have welcomed an undisturbed rest after the past few weeks. It was probably Mouse trying to annoy her as much as possible. She hated that game. Preparing to fire a sharp comment at the culprit, she halted when she saw it was Switch. Beckoning to Trinity, Switch turned without saying a word and strode down the corridor. Trinity hesitated for a moment then ran swiftly but lightly to catch up with her blonde-haired friend. Turning her head to look at Trinity, Switch carried on walking quickly.

"It's your anomaly, Trinity. She's on the move"

"She's not _my _anomaly, Switch", Trinity snapped, irrationally annoyed.

"Whatever."

They had reached the Core. Instead of sitting back down in the operator's chair, Switch halted and gestured for Trinity to sit. Raising an eyebrow but making no comment, Trinity obeyed. Poising her fingers above the keyboard, she waited for Switch to fill her in.

"So what's different?".

She knew without asking that this was no ordinary walk for Ana, or Switch would not have called her. As Switch spoke, Trinity began to type, fingers flying faster and faster over the keyboard, until they were almost a blur.

Under the pinpricked velvet sky, Ana began to run. Houses, trees and cars flew by as she ran steadily towards the heart of the city. Had she been in a stae of mind to notice, she would have been surprised at her lack of fatigue or shortness of breath. She had not run this far for years. But as it was, she did not notice. She simply ran, sure-footed and focused, as if some invisible force was drawing her onwards.


	7. Chapter 7 Decisions

Chapter 7 – Decisions

_Disclaimer: _see Chapter 2

_A/N: _I hope this is worth the wait :S (sorry!) Please review, I really want to know what you think, and your opinion is valued.

_Echo: _Thanks, I'm glad you took the time to review, it reminded me I hadn't updated for a loooong time!

* * *

All Ana could hear was the rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement and the regular beat of her heart. Just as she began to wonder what was going on, she had a brief flash of clarity. It was like the feelings she had had before, but instead of a swirling mass of thoughts and ideas, it was a sharp icicle of realisation. As suddenly as it had come, it disappeared. Ana knew that something had changed irrevocably. Realising she had come to a standstill, she began to run again. She was nearing her destination, and whatever it would bring.

* * *

Switch stood completely still behind Trinity, only her icy eyes betraying a flicker of movement. Upon looking closer, you would be able to see that her hands were gripping the back of the chair so hard that even her deathly white knuckles had turned paler. She had almost forgotten to breathe. 

Suddenly, Trinity fingers stopped flicking. The whole ship seemed to hold its breath. The silence was absolute. Then Trinity shook her head wordlessly.

_No. No. This isn't real. If I close my eyes it will go away._

But she was much too old for childish games. Instead she just shook her head, trying to reason it away.

Eventually, Switch broke the silence. "Trinity, what is it?"

Taking a deep breath, Trinity spoke. "She's heading… straight for Niobe."

"Niobe? But she's not even supposed to be in the Matrix. She said. We both heard her, remember? She told Morpheus she wouldn't be going in until tomorrow, that if she went in earlier, the mission would be compromised."

"It was a front", Trinity murmured, almost inaudibly.

"A what?"

Trinity still hadn't moved, her fingers hovering about an inch over the smooth black keys.

"A front. A decoy. It was to throw everyone off the scent. Nobody knows about it apart from Niobe and Morpheus. And me." She smiled wryly.

"Unfortunately I figured their plan out."

"But why?"

"Niobe was going to see the Oracle. We were sworn to secrecy. The double bluff was to conceal it from Lock. You know he forbid her to ever see the Oracle again."

"Why does she need to go again? She's already been twice, isn't that enough?"

"I don't know. I think its something to do with the One." For once she didn't speak cynically. "But she was supposed to be out hours ago. If she's still in there, something has gone wrong. And 'my anomaly' as you put it, is heading straight towards her. Chomh díreach le coinneall."

"Bu-What?"

Suddenly Trinity seemed to come to a decision. In the blink of an eye, she was out of the chair and racing towards the centre of the ship. As Switch moved to follow her, completely bewildered, Trinity threw an uncharacteristic grin back over her shoulder, "As straight as a candle. It's old Irish".

Switch's eyebrows shot up. By the time she reached Trinity, she was lying down in the jacking-in chair, and strapping herself in.

"Candle my coppertop bottom. You've been spending way too much time researching this girl. But what the hell are you doing?"

"I've got to stop her. If I know the kind of situations Niobe gets herself into, it's not going to be a pretty sight if Ana intervenes."

_Since when did she become 'Ana' and not just 'the Anomaly'? _thought Switch silently, but seeing the determined look on Trinity's face that she knew so well, she sighed her acquiescence and slipped the operator's headset on.

"Morpheus is gonna kill you. You know he hates you going in on your own."

"I have to go, and it has to be alone."

"Fine. I'm dropping you in about 200 metres away, I'll be keeping my eye on you."

Then she slid the plug in, and the world went black.

* * *

Ana suddenly stopped running. She was there. Now the feeling had abated, a measure of common sense returned to her. She was standing in a small alleyway, a high brick wall at the far end. There was only one window in the walls on either side, and it was cracked and dusty like the house it belonged to. As far as she could see, the alleyway and the surrounding area was completely deserted. She looked down at herself and almost laughed. She was dressed like a teenage ninja wannabe. What was she doing? She would never normally go out dressed like _this._ Shaking her head in wonderment, she almost laughed out loud. This was too surreal for words. 

Suddenly she heard a faint sound, and instinctively threw herself to crouch behind a nearby dustbin. Somehow, now she was unreasonably afraid. She crouched there for what seemed like an eternity, but all she could hear was the pounding of her heart, again. _It must have been a cat or something._ She looked up at the clear sky pinpricked with stars and wondered what they would make of her seemingly foolish actions . Just as she was about to straighten up, a woman appeared in the alleyway. She was completely dressed in black, and wore a pair of black wraparound sunglasses.

Ana had only one thought running through her head. It felt as if someone else had spoken it, yet she had not heard a sound.

_Let the games begin._


	8. Chapter 8 Games

Chapter 8 – Games

_A/N: _Yes I know, je suis terrible! Please forgive me. Thanks to my reviewers, I need that kick to remind me… at the moment I'm preparing A-level orals in French and German and suffice to say it's a little bit busy!

* * *

Crouching behind the dustbin, Ana heard…nothing. It was completely silent. The alley was deserted. Suddenly, she tensed as something brushed past her. Spinning around and suppressing the urge to scream in terror, she saw… 

_A cat._ Feeling almost dizzy with relief, she almost laughed aloud. _A plain, simple black cat. _As the cat disappeared over through the entrance of the alley, she crouched back down behind the bin.

Ana felt the rhythm of her heart gradually slowing. Breathing evenly and attempting to think logically, she began to reason with herself. Her first thought was, _What the hell am I doing here? _Finding that she was completely unable to answer this question, she gradually came to the decision that she would _get up from behind this rusting bin in some godforsaken alley in who knows where. _She would get up, calmly. She would work out where she was, through clear-minded reasoning and logic. Then she would return home and go to bed. She had just gone for a run, that was all. Taking a deep breath and shifting her feet to rise, she froze again.

Her only warning was a flash of black, then, before Ana could escape, a woman sprinted into the alleyway before skidding to a halt. Quickly scanning the alleyway, she turned around and began slowly backing towards the wall at the end of the alley. Ana shrank back into the shadows. She could see the woman's chest rising and falling slightly, the only clue to her previous sprint. _What was she waiting for? _The walls surrounding them were far too high to climb, and the bricks were unnaturally smooth. The only way she could escape would be to climb onto the dustbin and try to reach the top of the wall. Even then it would be too high. Suddenly, the reality of the situation struck Ana. _Her _dustbin. Well, she was trapped now. All she could do was wait and hope.

Looking back at the stranger, Ana saw that the woman was wearing black trousers and a long black coat. Her skin was a rich brown, and her hair was twisted into strange coils on top of her head. So far, a vaguely dubious fashion sense but nothing wrong there. But she was wearing _sunglasses. _And it was _winter_, not to mention _the middle of the night._ But that wasn't what was bothering Ana.

Suddenly, Ana realised that the woman was _glowing._ It definitely wasn't the moonlight. No, she was glowing, that was the only word for it. All around her shimmered a faint haze of red. Blinking several times, Ana looked again, but the haze had not disappeared. This _had _to be a dream.

By now the woman was poised in what could only be described as a fighting stance, her hands resting near her hips. Somehow, Ana knew that this was a woman with a quick and decisive mind, a tough exterior and a heart of gold. She would protect a friend at great personal cost, but she knew when sense had to override. But who was she?

All Ana's senses tingled, as she slowly turned her head. A shadow blocked the entrance, silhouetted against the moonlight. It was a man, wearing a suit, and that was all she could see.

'Niobe. Nice to see you again.'

The voice was dry, mocking, smooth yet dripping with sarcasm. The woman inclined her head politely, her voice matching his in sarcasm.

'Mr Smith. So glad you could join me.'

Then the impossible happened.

* * *

Please review! I promise I will respond to each and every one. : )

It is short...the next part is partly written, but I had to separate it here.

x sky x


	9. Chapter 9 A little less conversation

Chapter 9 – A little less conversation

_A/n: Are you not amazed at my super-speed update! Thank you very much to all you reviewers for your support, my week has been v stressful and it meant a lot to me. Four-leaved clovers to bluezenith, E. L. Lockhart and Gwen Luthael!_

Trinity's feet barely touched the ground. The air was cool on her cheeks, almost as cool as the moonlight. She didn't wear a watch on her slim wrist, but she instinctively knew that it was nearing midnight. The witching hour, the time when Ana's life would change irrevocably, for good or bad. Quelling the strange feeling rising in her stomach, she realised with annoyance that it was anxiety. She was running faster than she ever had in her life, even when running from the Agents. Realising this, she slowed her pace.

For a few moments her mahogany-tinted eyes became distant and cloudy, losing their usual piercing gaze. The landscape around her was becoming dismal and uninviting as she entered the run-down area of the city. Bags of litter were slumped in shadowed doorways, some spilling lazily into the street. Scraps of paper and left-over food sprawled haphazardly, and faint scurrying sounds alerted her to the presence of other creatures than herself. Trinity had almost come to a halt.

She was remembering the first time she had seen a place like this. The dilapidated streets had been a bit of a shock to say the least.

…_But, what about our old house? We can't live _here_, it's…horrible._

_I'm sure it's not as bad as it looks. Come on inside, it will be fine once you get used to it_

The quiet beeping of her phone interrupted her thoughts. Realising she had stopped running, she glanced around before sprinting forwards. Sliding the small black handset out of her pocket, she put it to her ear. Switch's voice held the hint of a smile.

"You always get yourself into these situations."

"And I always get myself out."

"You do know you're infuriatingly stubborn? And that's why I love you."

"Thanks…I think." Trinity's lips curled into an almost-smile as she continued to weave through the deserted streets.

"You're welcome…ma'am."

"Yeah, yeah. So what's the status of An…the Anomaly?"

"She's definitely seen Niobe. They're stuck in an alleyway down on Belgrave Avenue. Somehow I don't think that Niobe's seen her though. Niobe's got the senses of a cat on speed, so I…it doesn't make sense."

Trinity paused in front of a towering wooden fence, registering the faint flashing of a swaying neon sign through the corner of her sunglasses.

"Mmm."

Dropping down into a crouch, she suddenly swivelled and sprang upwards, swinging herself over the fence before stretching to pull herself up to a rooftop, with little obvious effort.

"Is that all you can come up with? You've never been one to be lost for words, Trin."

"Listen, I'm going to have to hang up, I'm getting close. If it gets hairy, try and get Niobe out of there first, OK? I can take care of myself."

"Don't think you're getting out of it that easy, I'm not going to abandon you. Good luck."

Trinity dropped the slim phone back into the pocket of her slim, dark trench coat, thinking about what Switch had said. _This just gets weirder and weirder._

* * *

After the conversation had ended, Switch paused for a moment, staring blankly at the screen, deep in thought. A faint sound made her freeze, and then spin the chair around, ready for action.

Morpheus was standing right behind her, chestnut eyes twinkling with a rare and secretive mischief. Switch relaxed back into her seat, spinning it around in mock annoyance. Unconsciously she straightened her uneven sleeves.

"_Jeez_, Morpheus. Seriously. One of these days you're gonna find yourself Switchless. And I _really_ don't want to be up in front of the council on murder charges. It ain't good for a girl's reputation."

"Switch, I've known you since you were…what? 6 years old?"

"I was NINE, as you well know", she said forcefully, before relaxing into a smile, powerful fingers typing once more.

Morpheus was silent behind her, but she could almost feel his smile. "So I was small for my age. I had a –"

"-very fast metabolism", he chorused. "I know, I know. But your size, or lack of it…" Switch raised an eyebrow. Morpheus continued, unabashed "…is not the reason why I'm here".

Suddenly, Switch remembered what she had just done. The word _mutiny _echoed unpleasantly in her mind. Trying to appear unconcerned, she was frantically thinking of a way to distract Morpheus. Unfortunately, the only thought ricocheting around her head was the punishment for mutiny. It wasn't death, but it might as well be. A life without the Nebuchadnezzar was unthinkable, and lifting heavy objects had never really been top on her list of priorities. But worse than that would be the disappointment of the crew, most of all Morpheus. She had never gone behind his back before. There was a sick feeling in her stomach.

Apart from that time when she and Trinity had switched all of Morpheus' clothes with Mouse's. She could still see the look on his face when he entered the breakfast room, half amused, half angry. All the newbies had heard the legend, and often thought that was why she was called Switch. But that was a _completely _different story.

And the time they had finished a scouting mission early, and were forced to fake that there had been complications, so that they had time for a motorbike race across the whole city. Well they had to come up with _some _story to explain away the multitude of cuts and bruises they had inflicted on themselves and each other. As the only girls on this ship, they had to stick together. Trinity might fake a tough exterior, but…

Of course, that had been when Niobe had been with them too, but now she had her own ship. Trinity was skilled enough to be a Captain by now, but she seemed to prefer her 'family'. She didn't always come across well to new people. And now Switch had Apoc, Trinity had been withdrawing further into herself again. She was spending more time 'with' the Anomaly than with the crew. Did she recognise something of herself in the girl? Trinity's past was a bit of a mystery and she preferred to keep it that way.

All of these thoughts ran through Switch's head in an instant, before she realised that she was still frozen like a rabbit in headlights. She opened her mouth to speak, having no idea what she was going to say. Morpheus didn't look angry. Yet.

"Don't worry, Switch. I'm not going to eat you."

Switch didn't relax her death-grip on the chair.

"I know where Trinity has gone, and I know why you did what you did." When the woman in front of him still looked unconvinced, Morpheus sighed.

"It's all part of the plan. I knew that Trinity wouldn't be able to resist. She never could resist a challenge." Here he gave a wry smile.

"But why?" Switch's pale fingers relaxed, and her relief was obvious.

"Because Ana must be unplugged before 2am. Trinity is the only one who can do what she needs to, and this was the only way to get her in there without protest. You know as well as I do how stubborn she can be. The Oracle told me that Trinity must be the one to do it, and Trinity alone."

Switch suddenly experienced a second sinking feeling. "She's not alone."

"She's not…what?"

She took a deep breath, raising her angular shoulders. "Niobe's in there too. She and Smith are right on top of Ana. "

Morpheus' eyes took on an indescribable look. "She shouldn't be there. She shouldn't be anywhere near there. It's not part of the plan." The tone of his voice was impossible to decipher.

Not for the first time, Switch wondered what _exactly _had happened between them. All she knew was that Niobe had left one day and never come back, but the rumours abounded.

Morpheus moved with surprising swiftness. Stepping towards her, he leant on the back of the chair, gripping it heavily as her fingers poised for instructions.

"Now do _exactly_ as I say."


	10. Chapter 10 Conflicting interests

Chapter 10 – Conflicting interests

_Disclaimer: _see Chapter 3

_A/n: Thanks to magicalbrat, LiMiYa, Angel-of-light91, Long lost sorrow, E.L. Lockhart. That's my most reviews for a chapter ever:P_

_But flippin' nora! I know I'm a long time updating (a major understatement), but I did have exams and the like.. so, I suppose that's my humble excuse yet again. Anyway they're finally over, so, on with the story!_

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For a few, unbreathable seconds, time seemed to stop. The moment froze, held, held… The silence was complete.

A faint swish of air was all the warning Ana got. Suddenly, the space where the strange woman had been standing was inexplicably empty. Jerking her neck up to follow the flash of black her eyes widened in green disbelief, and she involuntarily staggered to her feet, seemingly forgetting the previous danger and tension of the situation. She needn't have worried. The man - _what had she called him?_ - Mr. _Smith,_ had similarly left his position. The sight that greeted Ana was unreal, surreal – it had to be anything but _real._

_This was no time for an English lesson._

The woman, _Niobe_, (it seemed familiar, right somehow, to use her name) had jumped impossibly high. What had seemed to Ana to be an insurmountable wall had been scaled in a matter of milliseconds. Rushing to the entrance of the alley, all caution forgotten, Ana caught a glimpse of a fleeing black shape, closely pursued by another, high on the jagged rooftops. Guessing the direction Niobe was taking, Ana sped into motion, racing through the streets, following the faint sounds of pursuit.

Then the most shocking event so far. The sound of a gunshot ripped through the air, tearing through the tranquillity of the sleeping sound. Her heart skipped three beats. Ana froze, mouth unconsciously wide open in a gesture of shock and horror. She was a law-abiding girl. But this man, or woman, had a _gun._ Unfreezing her posture, she was impelled by some force to continue. She knew she had to. Lives were at stake.

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Morpheus still stood behind Switch, fiercely gripping the back of the operator's chair, as if this would make Switch's blurred fingers fly any faster. There was a look of grim determination in his eyes.

"None of the other crew members of the _Logos _are in there, sir. Just Niobe."

"The other ships?"

There was a short pause, with only the sound of clattering keys and the low hum of the monitors. Morpheus smiled grimly at the remembrance of Niobe's intense hate of silence. She used to hum the old popular tunes from the Matrix if a stint at the Core was too quiet. _Used to._

"No, sir. Just Niobe, Trinity, the Anomaly and now an Agent. Only one Agent though."

_One too many _thought Morpheus. His speech came quick and efficient, belied by a look of…was that panic in his eyes? _No,_ thought Switch. _Morpheus never panicked._

"Ok. I want you to…this will be faster if I do it myself. Thanks, Switch."

Morpheus swung into the chair that Switch had just vacated. He fixed the headset on as though he had never left the position of operator. The green light of the monitors and the harsh overhead lighting gave both of them an unhealthy-looking pallor.

"We're going to need to pinpoint their exact locations, and as many exits as possible. Our primary objective is to unplug our little Anomaly. Trinity and Niobe can handle themselves. Now it's a little more…complicated."

_That was an understatement, _thought Switch wryly.

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Trinity knew she was nearing her destination. This time she had no idea what she would find. This mission was more complicated than the average, as it involved a potential who was unaware and more than likely unwilling to be unplugged. What would that do to her mind? She would just have to trust that Morpheus was right. He always was. But now Niobe was involved? Things would get even more complicated.

Suddenly she froze as the sound of a distant gunshot reached the alleyways. Anyone looking out of the window would have marvelled at the way the lithe figure, clad in faintly shimmering leather, seemed to disappear into thin air, the speed it moved. But of course no-one was looking out of the window. Only the rats lived here.

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For what seemed like the millionth time during that endless night, Ana froze in amazement. She had finally reached the centre of the conflict. If the gravity-defying leaps and rolls of the pair had seemed impossible, this was something else. The two black figures now stood exposed on a jagged rooftop, scattered with broken brick chimneys and shattered lengths of guttering. The harsh moonlight cast similarly jagged shadows and glistened off the metal in their sunglasses and the man's gun. As Ana reached the scene, crouching behind a brick pillar after sprinting as lightly as possible up the twisting fire escape, the woman dashed to crouch behind another chimney on the other side of the roof. Her whole body was cast into shadow, but Ana could still see the faintly glowing aura of red silhouetting her shape. In fact, it was even stronger now. Meanwhile, the man seemed to emanate a haze of green. Ana could see the whole scene as it played out.

As the man in the crisp suit reached again for his gun, shooting two bullets into the chimney the woman was sheltering behind, she feinted left before twisting to perform an impossible leap sideways, black-clad body spinning through the air as the man shot again and again.

Ana could not see how he could have missed, but as the man darted forward with the speed of a cheetah, the woman braced herself against the crumbling pillar in front of her before arching backwards to flip over his head, not pausing as she landed gracefully on the ground but sprinting towards the edge, finding her gun and shooting over her shoulder with similar precision.

Ana marvelled again at the sheer height and speed of the manoeuvre, but the man seemed unperturbed. Somehow, he was back in his original position, still tearing the air with gunshot after gunshot. No-one could possibly run that fast. He did not chase the woman but stood, seemingly relaxed. His trousers and jacket still seemed freshly ironed, as though this was merely a business meeting, and even his shoes sparkled. His sunglasses had not been removed.

Suddenly, just as the woman reached the end of the roof, and launched herself from the edge, she gave a strangled cry of pain and fell through the air. Ana had to dig her nails into the brick in front of her to keep from crying out and rushing forwards. The man in the suit…Smith, sauntered slowly over to the edge where the woman had fallen. Ana felt a flash of …almost _pain_ across her stomach as he let out a mocking laugh. She knew without doubt that this man was an enemy. That must make the mysterious woman a friend. If she was alive.

_What had happened to her?_

The man stepped off the edge, disappearing in a mixture of a jump and a fall. The roof was deserted. The only sign that people had been there were the two deep holes blasted into the chimney. Stirring from her hiding-place, Ana hurried over to the spot, reaching out her fingers to convince her mind that it was true.

Yes.

Almost as though they had been carved into the rough brickwork, two tunnels sliced cleanly into the chimney. If they could do this to hard stone, what would they do to human flesh? Ana knew the answer. She had watched too many hospital dramas to be ignorant of the impact of steel on flesh.

Heart pounding and hands shaking, she slowly made her way to the spot where the two had vanished, and peered cautiously over the edge. She needn't have worried. Neither of the figures was looking in her direction. Instead, their eyes were locked together.

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A/n: _Well, I hope that was up to standard…tell me what you think!_


	11. Chapter 11 Standoff

Chapter 11 – Stand-off

_A/n: Woohoo! Thank you for all your lovely reviews : )Tomorrow I am going to Spain so this is a bit of a rush. Hope everyone else enjoys their holidays. On with the action…_

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Ana watched the stand-off below, frozen with apprehension, heart pounding. The silence stretched on, and on, until it seemed like the scene was nothing more than a tableau, a freeze-frame, a museum-piece in confrontation. Niobe was braced in a fighting stance, but it was clear that she was resting nearly all of her weight on one leg. She was trapped, unable to move.

As Ana looked down, she could see every detail - Niobe's cornrows, gathering her unruly black hair into submission; the malicious glint of Smith's sunglasses and the unnaturally straight parting of his slicked-down hair ; the curl of Niobe's slender brown fingers as she aimed her gun unwaveringly at Smith. Smith, too, held a gun, but his aim seemed decidedly lax, conveying his sense of complete superiority. Ana realised that the glowing 'auras' around them were gradually intensifying, yet neither combatant had commented on this strange phenomenon, or given any indication that they could see them. Niobe was now surrounded by a deep red haze, Smith shimmered green.

Finally the silence broke. "Miss Garcia, I must express my pleasure at our unexpected meeting." Smith's tone was positively dripping with sarcasm. To Ana, every feature of his face conveyed disdain and mockery.

"No, really, the pleasure is all mine", Niobe responded dryly, the sarcasm in her lilting voice echoing Smith's. She had not moved her gun, but the slight tightening of her face betrayed the pain she was in.

Ana shifted her position slightly, endeavouring to gain a clearer view of Niobe's leg. She was careful to make no sound, but suddenly both heads flicked up to pinpoint the rooftop where she was hiding. Swiftly Ana ducked her head down, but she knew it was too late. They must have seen her, with the superhuman senses that they seemed to possess. Her body was overtaken by a rush of ice as she waited for the shout and the inevitable discovery. But the expected shout did not come, and after several moments of complete terror that seemed to stretch into eternity, she dared to look again. Once again, the man and woman were facing each other, seemingly oblivious to all else. Ana let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Her left leg was filled with darting cramps, but she dared not move again.

"Miss Garcia, why the pretence? We both know that your death is both imminent and inevitable."

Niobe did not stir. Although her eyes were shielded by sunglasses, Ana could tell they were fixed directly on Smith, waiting for him to move. Why had he not fired the gun yet?

Smith flicked his left hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Yes, I know of your so-called _reputation_. Supposed to have killed an Agent, no less."

His smile was slow and malevolent.

"I care nothing for false rumours and inflated _human _pride."

He spat the word _human_ as though it was an indecent and filthy word. He left a pause. _For dramatic effect?_ wondered Ana. He certainly seemed to have a talent for drama.

"But you will die, Miss Garcia. Just like the rest of them. For all your grand ideas, you are nothing more than animals. So let me put you out of your misery."

Time seemed to slow as he raised his gun, his cuff shifting back to expose a sliver of pale arm.

Suddenly, Trinity appeared in the alley entrance, skidding to a halt as she took in the situation in a millisecond. With a torn scream she launched herself at Smith, although she already knew it was too late.

But Ana had already acted on the burning, all-encompassing impulse that had guided her to this place.

v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.

_A/n: Sorry it was short! I will try and write more when I get back. Please review._


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